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SterlingDevelop
07-31-2011, 07:21 PM
:mad:

I was running the 'bot, which is equipped with a very loud Roots blower vacuum system, and had just finished cutting a file and removed my hearing protection when I realized there was a humdinger of a storm outside.

About three seconds later, the building was zapped. I could feel it, and it blew out some lights and the security system started beeping (found out later it fried that, too)

Fried the 'puter controlling the 'bot, the USB to serial converter, and I'm thinking the control board. Yes, everything was plugged into a SP / UPS.
I'm thinking the surge came in through the hardwired control box, through the board and up the USB/Serial cable to the computer.

Questions:

How do I diagnose and definitively say it's the board?

The new (old, but an XP spare) computer says it's talking to the machine, but the ShopBot won't do anything, and then the input and output indicators will come on and off randomly and then I get stop button reset messages and com error messages and then the software finally crashes.

I cannot get the firmware to reload, althought the CPU fan goes on and the usage goes to 98% when I try.


If it is the board, any idea what that's going to cost me?

Should I read a message into the 'bot being struck by lightning?:eek:

I won't be able to get on with SB tech support until Tues or Wed as I will be working elsewhere, but I would appreciate some feedback. If nothing else, I'll learn what kind of hit I can expect to take.

Thanks,

Brent

gc3
07-31-2011, 09:34 PM
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11303&highlight=lightning+strike

gerryv
07-31-2011, 09:40 PM
Assuming you have insurance for that kind of event, I'd be pushing my insurer very, very hard to replace everything electrical and electronic from the stepper motors right on back to the panel. It's very hard to go back to them a second and third time as new issues are discovered ...and few people can afford an undependable machine.:(

SterlingDevelop
07-31-2011, 09:55 PM
Thanks, Gene.

I did read that thread, I've already determined that the USB converter is bad and replaced it. I don't think that's the issue. Is anyone running a Gigaware Usb to Serial converter?

Gerald......insurance?! Is that like hindsight?
Lightning never strikes the same place twice, right?
And the roof never leaks when it's not raining. I can't get up on the roof while it's raining to fix the roof:)

Brady Watson
08-01-2011, 08:27 AM
If you go back to that link...You'll see that the IOGear USB/Serial converter is the one recommended.

Any old one won't do. Look around on the web - they are cheap.

Like here (http://tinyurl.com/3hqsuo5)

-B